Process of distillation



May' 26, 1931.

O.l BEHIMER PROCESS OF lDISTIJIJATION Filed Feb.

THHHHHHnIlHuu JMSNQ #D vwantoz dpa/- 20 oil is charged to a still 30 from Patented May V26, 1931 OTTO OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO TBE TEXAS COMPANY, OF N E'W YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION F DELAWARE rnocnss or msrnmarron' Application led February 10, 192,8. vSerial 'No. 253,256.

This invention relates to the art of distillation and has particular reference to the fractional distillation of hydrocarbon o1l.

-Broadly and generally the invention con- 5 templates bringing fresh charging stock on 1ts way to a still in heat exchange but not direct contact or equilibrium wit h vapors evolved from the still and separating out evolved vapors from the charge thus heated before it is admitted to the still. In accordfrom the charging stock are separatedv out and removed while the remaining liquid portion of the charge is passed into the still.

The invention contemplates a continuous process of distillatie/n in which hydrocarbon wherein distillation takes place, the oil charge heated by exchange of heat from the vapors evolved from the still, but not, in direct contact therewith, to such an extent that a portion is vaporized, the

vaprized portion separated and combined with all or a portion of the vapors from thev still and the unvaporized portion of the charge introduced into the stil The invention may be readily understood a description of the procedure of Athe process considered in connection with the accompanying drawing which represents in iagrammatic Asectionalelevation an apparatus which may be employed for carrying on the process. The apparatus illustrated in the drawing is shown and described merely for the purpose of aiding in understanding the process and it is to be understood that any other suitable apparatus may be substituted for that shown.'

heated by a suitable furnace (not shown) and desired to separate the if desired the heating coil 12 may be omitted.

The still is provided with a connection at 15 for withdrawing the contents of the still through an exchanger- 16l tol a suitable storage tank 17. From the vapor -portion of the still 14 a vapor line 18 connects with the lower portion of a fractionating tower 19a provided with a vapor line 20a at the top, and a line .21a at the bottom for the withdrawal of condensate therefrom: The line 21a is connected to a suitable storage receptacle 22a.

From the top of the fractionating tower 19a the vapor line 20a is connected to the lower portion of a fractiqnating tower 196 which, in its general construction, may-be a substantial counterpart of the tower 19a. A

line 216 is`provided for withdrawing con-` densate from the lower portion of the tower 196 and leads to a suitable storage receptacle 226. From the top of the tower 196 a vapor line 206 is connected toa vapor heat exchanger 23 which is in turn connected by the line 24 to a suitable condenser 25. A line 26 leads from the condenser to a storage receptacle 27. Although, in the)apparatus il.

lustrated in the drawing, two fractionating towers are shown, it will be understood that one tower or several may upon the number of fractions into which it is oil charge.

By means of the pump 28 the oil charge is forced from a source (not shown) through be used, depending thecharging li-ne 29 coiinected wit'h the vapor heat exchanger 23. A' continuation of the charging line 29 leads from the vapor heat exchanger 23 through a series vof connected coils 306, 316, and 326, located within the tower 196, which in turn connect with the line 336 leading to the vapor trap 346. Thev vapor trap 346 consists of a drum to Awhich isconnected, at the lower end, a liquiddrawoil? line 356 fitted with a valve 366Y and vatthe upper end, a vaporI outlet line 376 fitted with the valve 386, the line 376 entering the -t1onat1ng tower 19a at an intermediatel point.

A fleet 395 is previded te regulate the 1eve1 maintained in the vapor trap 346, acting through suitable, means (not shown) to operate the valves 366 and 386.

The line 356 extends t`o a pump 350 which has a discharge line d leading to the coils 30a, 31a, and 32a, located in the tower 19a in a manner similar to the location of the Coils sob, 316, end 326, in the tower 195. The series of coils is connected, throuh the line 33a, with the vapor'trap 34a. s pointed out in the previous paragraph, thetower 19a is a substantial counterpart of the tower 196 and the same applies tov the corresponding coils, connections, vapor trap, etc. From the lower portion of the vapor trap 34a theA line 35a leads to the residuum exchanger 16 and after passing therethrough connects by means of the line to thev hot-oil pump 41.

The vapor line 37a leads from the upper porline, 29 and the vapor heat exchanger 23.

The oil charge ows to the still from the vapor heat exchanger 23, by way of the continuation of the line 29, and the coils 306, 316,

l and 326, into the vapor tra-p 346; From the lower portion of the vapor trap 346 the charge owsthrough the line 356, to the pump 350 which charges the oil through the line 35d to the coils 30a, 31a, and 32a, to the vapor trap 34a and from the lower portion thereof through the line 35a, through the residuum exchanger 16 and the line 40 to the hot-oil pump 41, which forces the charge through the heating coil 12 and the line` 13 into the still 14. Although a series of three coils is in each fractionating tower, it will be understood' that any desired arrangement of coils may be made whereby the charge is heated by exchange of -heat fromthe vapors evolved from the still. Thus for example the coils 316, 326, 31a and 32a may be omitumns 19a and 196 supplied by the coils 306 ted and the cooling to the fractionating eoland 30a in the upper part oi the columns. Whena plurality of separated coils, such'as 30a, 31a, and 32a are employed in a fractionating tower vapor traps may, if desired, be

j disposed between the several coils.

Heat is' applied to the charge while passing through the heating coil 12, the temperature to which the charge is raised ordinarily being suiiicient to provide for the most of the distillation required to take place in the still. If desired, additional heat for distillation may be applied to the still :from a suitable furnace undistilled residuum may bedrawn off continuously or periodically through the connection at 15 and through the residuum exchanger 16, exchanging heat with the charge entering through the line 35al and passing out throu h the line 40. The cooled residuum then ows from the exchanger 16 to a storage receptacle 17.

The vapors evolved from the still 14, pass ing through the vapor line 18, enter the fractionating tower 19a at the lower portion thereof and pass upward, during which passa e they are subjected to fractionation or recti cation and a portion of the vapors is condensed. The condensate collects in the lower portion of the tower and is withdrawn through the line 21a to storage 22a, constituting a heavy cutor fraction of the distillate which may correspond to a product such as gas oil. e

The vapors passing upward through the tower 19al are cooled by the charge passing through the coils 30a, 31a, and 32a., and this cooling may serve the purpose of supplying reflux to the tower, although additional re- `flux cooling may be supplied from an extraneous source if so desired. The fractionated vapors evolved from the top of the tower 19a pass through the vapor line 20a, to the lower portion of the tower 196. The operation of the tower 196 is substantially the same as that of the tower 19a, the vapors passing `upward'through the tower and being subjected to fractionation therein. The charge passing through the coils 306, 316, and 326, supply reflux cooling to the tower which may be augmentedby suitable cooling supplied from an extraneous source if so desired. The condensate collected in the bottom of the vtower 196 is withdrawn through the line 216 to storage 226 to constitute an intermediate fraction or cut from the crude charge which may be of the nature of a kerosene burning Ation or cut from the crude charge an may be of the nature of nxfphtha or gasoline.

VReturning to a consideration Vof the crude charge, it has been mentioned that, in its flow through the vapor heat exchanger 23, the charge absorbs heatifrom the vapors evolved from the :t'ractionating tower 196. The

charge is further heated in its passage through thel coils 306, 3,16, and 326, usually to such a degree 'that' when discharged into the vapor trap 346 a substantial quantity may be vapori'zed. In the vapor trap 346 the float 396 operates the valves 366 and, 386 so as to maintain a constant liquid level therein and to discharge the vaporized portion of the charge Vinto the tower 196 at an intermediate point, while allowing the continuous flow of the unvaporized charge through the line 356. The operation of the vapor trap 34a is vsubstantially the same as that of 346. In this case the charge from the line 35d is heated while flowing through the coils 30a, 31a, and 32a, so that when introduced into the vapor trap 34a a further portionais vaporized. The' :iloat 39a operates the valves 36a and 38a to discharge the vaporized portion of the charge into the tower 19a at an intermediate point while the unvazporized portion ofthe charge is discharged through the line 35a to the residuum exchanger 16 where it absorbs further heat from the undistilled residuum withdrawn from the still 14. From the residuum exchanger 16 the heated charge Hows through the line 40- to the hot-oil pump 41 from which it is forced through the heat- Ying coil 12, as described in a previous paragraph.

Although the invention has been described in connection with the distillation of a typical crude petroleum under ordinary atmospheric pressure, it will be understood that it is equal1y"applicable to any type of charging stock containing an appreciable proportion of more volatile constituents and is also applicable to cracking operations carried on under superatmospheric pressures.

Obviously many modifications and variations of the invention, yas hereinbefore set forth, may be made without departing from the spirit and scope thereof, and therefore, only such limitations should be imposed as are indicated in the appended claims.

What I cla-im is:

into indirectheat exchange with vapors from the vaporizing chamber, means for separatingV out and removing vapors evolved from the charging stock, means for introducing said vapors into the fractionatin tower at an intermediate point, means forapplying additional heat to the unvaporized charging stock, and means for passing the heated charging stock thence into the vaporizing chamber.

\ OTTO BEHIME/R.

1. The process of distilling hydrocarbon oil which comprises maintaining afbody of oil in a still forming a portion of a distillation unit, maintaining the still under conditions of distillation, passing vapors evolved from thel still through a fractionating tower, heating the oil charge by eX- change of heat from the vapors passing through said fractionating tower but not in direct contact therewith, separating the vapors evolved from the oil charge thus heated and introducing them into the fractionating tower at an'intermediate point, and heating the remaining unvaporized portion of the y charge to a vaporizing temperaturebefere it is introduced into the still.

2. Apparatus for distilling hydrocarbon oil comprising a, vaporizing chamber, means d.

for conducting evolved vapors fromthe vaporizing chamber to a factionatin tower,

means associated with said fractionating tower adapted to bring fresh charging stock 

